Editorial

China plans to clone family pets

China has announced plans to build a giant animal cloning facility. BoyaLife, the company behind the project, has confirmed that operations will begin in 2016 in the Chinese city of Tianjin. Over £20m will be invested in the new site which aims to produce thousands of cow embryos a year to meet China’s growing demand for beef. The 14,000-square-metre…

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Impulse buying fuels pet welfare crisis, finds PDSA

The fifth annual PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report was released this week. Its findings, which are based on a UK-wide survey of pet owners and veterinary professionals, uncovered some disturbing truths. 4.5 million owners were discovered to do no research at all before getting a pet. As a result, many owners may be unfamiliar with…

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Black Friday: Super sales or giant flop?

Last year, bumper discount day, Black Friday, raised 810 million for retailers in the UK. This US retail import traditionally takes place the day after Thanksgiving (for those of us who aren’t American, that’s November 27th). In 2014, a number of major UK retailers, including supermarkets and department stores, took part in the sales event.…

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Fears for pets’ safety this November

Anxiety, fear and phobia. November 5th is a tricky day for pets as well as members of parliament. Loud noises and the potential for injuries makes this a high-stress time of year for animals and their owners. Vets are expecting an influx of patients as pets are frightened or, tragically,…

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‘Puppies are being traded like scrap’ says RSPCA

The UK spent nearly £4.6 billion on pets last year. The lucrative industry is home to professionals with a passion for animals. Most are highly concerned with welfare needs. Sadly, a small money-hungry minority have been shown to exploit dogs and other pets for financial gain, with no concern for…

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Five days to UK’s biggest aquatics trade show

It’s show season for the UK pet trade. Dozens of new products and award winners have been announced in the space of a few weeks. For retailers and groomers, it’s time to snap up new deals and special offers. Awards and new product displays act as a guide to the latest must-stock…

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38% of pet owners face guilt-ridden holidays

It’s a welcome change. Just a few weeks ago we reported that Battersea Dogs and Cats Home saw an influx of pets during the holiday season. Neglectful owners reportedly abandoned animals after failing to take their pets into account when booking vacations. Thankfully, new statistics show many owners in the UK take…

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Cat shot for the second time in two years

Are the UK’s gun laws tough enough? In comparison to the USA, our country seems to have a relieving lack of gun-related crime. However, a rifle may have been used to inflict horrific cruelty on an animal. The Eastbourne Herald has reported the shooting of family pet. The three-year old cat, which…

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Pet in danger? Don’t call us, says London Fire Brigade

  Pet Gazette is as guilty as any other industry magazine. We love stories of heroic emergency crews rushing to animals’ rescue. However, the London Fire Brigade has made an impassioned plea – it does not want to hear from the owners of kittens stuck in trees. The organisation is…

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Could DNA testing beat dog fouling?

It’s unhygienic, disgusting and happens all too frequently. Why do some owners still fail to clean up after their dogs? Pet stores around the country sell a plethora of scoops, bags and other gadgets to make this (admittedly unpleasant) task as simple as possible. Science may have the solution. In…

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